It Hurts When PC Magazine Says You’re Not Cool Anymore

Poor Google and YouTube. PC Magazine, which we closet-nerds hide better than teenagers with Playboy, is now saying the two sites have lost their cool. They’ve “sold out.”

Says this articleabout YouTube: “It was much more fun watching stupid videos online when A) it was counterculture and possibly even illegal (see “Lazy Sunday”); B) Google wasn’t indexing all your searches to deliver more relevant ads; C) You weren’t privy to the net worth of the site’s founders.”

The article continues: “The Web is littered with these sites and services. Some, like Napster, have faded into obscurity as they’ve gone legit. Others, like MySpace, just become bigger and, arguably, less cool. We liked all of the sites presented here much better before they started chasing profitability, mainstream acceptance, and/or legality.”

Sorry, PCMag. I love you. But this article is so out of character for you. If chasing legality, profitability and mainstream acceptance means you’re “selling out” than let’s examine your advertising-to-content ratio of your last three issues. And let’s take a look at your own horrendously commercial user interface that pushes content to commerce with the agility of a drunk guy hitting on a gaggle of bachelorettes.

pot calling the kettle black – I think they should make a list of the 10 sites that have the most potential to sell out next. followed by the 10 sites that have the most potential to sell out after the 10 sites that have the most potential to sell out.

Who’s Nalts?

Kevin "Nalts" Nalty the only career marketer who also is one of YouTube's most viewed entertainers. Author of "Beyond Viral," Nalty is a sought-after speaker described as "passionate, engaging, provocative, and practical." Nalty consults in the area of digital marketing and emerging media, and has helped such leading brands as Starbucks, Fox Broadcasting, Kodak, MTV, Logitech, Panasonic, Crowne Plaza and Microsoft. To reach out, please see contact page.